The Three Detectives created by Martin Johnson

It was another quiet day at the office of the Muppet Fans Detective Agency.
Suddenly there was a knock at the door. The man sitting at the main desk quickly slipped his photos of Kathy Greenwood into the top left -hand drawer and ran across to answer it. When the door was opened a big, female pig with a lovely blue-sequinned dress and pretty yellow hair came bursting through, throwing her arms around him and knocking him to the floor.
"Hey! Get off me" he cried. At the sound another slightly older man came running into the room followed by a young female. They quickly calmed the hysterical pig down and escorted her to a chair while their partner picked himself up from the floor. Seated in three chairs around her the detectives introduced themselves.

"My name is Marty," said the older of the two men, "and these are my partners Kendra," indicating the girl, "and this chap you fell into is the undercover member of our investigating team. His real name is a closely guarded secret but he works under the alias of Snowthy."

Snowthy was trying hard to smooth out the wrinkles in his coat but he managed to stay calm. The lady pig was starting to become very upset. She took out a large handkerchief and blew her nose. "My name is Miss Piggy," she sobbed. "I need help. I read in the newspaper how the three of you managed to clear the name of that little red monster named Elmo, who was accused of throwing that brick through the window of the bakery store in Wandlum Street."
"Oh yes," piped up Kendra with a big grin on her face. "I was so delighted to have played my part in redeeming that cute furry monster's good name."
"Well Miss Piggy," said Marty. "What is your problem?"
"It-it's my little doggie Foo-Foo." Piggy started to cry bitterly. "He disappeared two days ago, and I don't know what could have happened to him." She started to bawl her head off and one of the windows smashed because of her high pitch. The Three Detectives ears were ringing and they were desperate to calm her down.
"Okay Miss Piggy. Okay!" cried Marty. "You can leave the case in our hands. Just give us your contact address and we'll be in touch."
Piggy dried her eyes and blew her nose once again. "I'll gladly pay you any fee you charge if you can return my beloved Foo-Foo to me."
"We'll leave no stone un-turned." said Snowthy, slapping his forehead to try to stop his ears from ringing and opening the door to let her out. After she was gone the door was shut and the Three Detectives were ready to plan their strategy.

Marty set down to business. "Okay. Let's start secretly investigating Miss Piggy's contacts so that we can attempt to ascertain if any of them might have a possible motive for kidnapping Foo-Foo. That's your job Snowthy."
"Check." Snowthy sat down in front of the computer screen. "I'll do a muppet search under known muppets who commonly interact with her and see if any suspicious-looking characters show up."
"Kendra. You come with me down to the back alleyway of Franklin Avenue," Marty said as he picked up the phone. "I'll call our faithful informer Ziffel and ask him to meet us, if he's heard any relevant tips regarding Foo-Foo's disappearance."
"He's incredible. I don't know how but usually that man has the lowdown on almost everything we ask him about." Kendra said with admiration in her voice.
Marty dialled Ziffel's secret contact number and he heard Ziffel's voice say his usual answer, "You've reached me Detectives. Hope you didn't get ziffeled."
Marty gave his identification reply. "No. We made it with a muffin."
After their secret exchange Marty got down to business, and told Ziffel about Miss Piggy losing her dog. Ziffel said he did have some potential tips and agreed to meet as requested.

So Marty and Kendra left Snowthy to his task at the computer and set off to Franklin Avenue to find out what Ziffel's hot information was.

Oh wow, when you told me you were working on a very "different" type of fanfic, I was intreagued, but as usual, I had many other things to do both on and offline. Sorry I'm late.
Oh man, what a great story this is! You've got everyone hear down so well! I'm assuming there will be other muppets in this story; I hope I'm right! Update when ready, sir.

As Kendra and Marty were nearing Franklin Avenue who should they run into but Sherlock Hemlock.
"Hello Mr.Hemlock," said Marty.
"Ah, good day Marty and Kendra. Where is your friend Snowthy?"
"He's back at our office doing research for a case we're working on," Marty explained.
"Are you on a case yourself, Mr.Hemlock?" asked Kendra.
"Yes I am. But I'm in desperate need of a clue."
"You been searching for awhile?" asked Marty.
"Yes. But still no sign. But I have an instinctive hunch that any minute now a great, big clue will hit me."
Suddenly an enormous letter Q came falling down landing right on top of Sherlock with a splat.
Kendra and Marty both had a big shock. "Are you all right, Mr.Hemlock?" they asked.
"Hooray!" shouted Sherlock from underneath. "I knew it! This giant letter Q must be the very clue I've been waiting for!"
Well he seemed to be happy enough. So they said good-bye to Sherlock Hemlock, leaving him to his investigation, while they continued with theirs.

When they arrived in the alley of Franklin Avenue, Ziffel met them and spoke very quietly. "I have recently seen Baba hanging around outside the main hotel."
Marty and Kendra gasped. Baba was the henchman of a well-known criminal who called himself Super Muppet(though he wasn't really a muppet). He was pretty super though in terms of his power and influence among thugs and hoodlums.
Ziffel went on to explain that four days ago he had been snooping in the shadows and overheard Baba talking to his boss Super on mobile phone. He was saying that he didn't like the risk involved with kidnapping that fat pig's dog.
"If she catches me, she'll bash me black and blue," he had said. But whatever Super had replied to him it seemed to have persuaded him that the plan could be carried out safely.
"Okay Boss. I'll slip inside her house while she's out for her appointed mudpack beauty treatment in a couple of days and grab the little mutt."

"It sure sounds like Super Muppet is our prime suspect." said Marty.
Kendra agreed and after thanking Ziffel and slipping him a $20 note, they set off back to the office. The big question on their minds was what reason could Super have for getting Baba to steal Miss Piggy's dog?

When they arrived back at their office Snowthy had his report all printed out for them. "She's interacted with several other muppets mostly on classic television shows such as The Muppet Show and its short lived spin-off, Muppets Tonight," he explained. "She has been known to have abused many of them from time to time with karate. Some with justification for they were being impudent, but most times she did it on the flimsiest of excuses being bad-tempered and quick to jump to the wrong conclusions. Even some of the human guest stars of the shows were picked on by her. However none of them, human celebrity or fellow muppet alike, particular strike me as the type who would do such a thing out of a grudge personally."

Before Marty or Kendra could say anything the phone suddenly rang and Snowthy picked it up. As he listened and talked with the caller he made notes with a pen and notepad. "I see. Don't worry sir. We'll investigate this serious matter." Hanging up the phone he said to the other two, "That was a man who introduced himself as Jerome "Doc" Christianson. He says that last night somebody broke into his workshop next to his house and kidnapped his dog, Sprocket by name."

"Another dog kidnapping! Possibly related to the first! And Ziffel has given us our suspects!" cried Marty, throwing his arms up in the air. "Super Muppet has allegedly been instructing his right-hand Baba to steal these dogs."
"But we have no idea why as yet," Kendra added.
"Come on," Marty gestured. "Let's all go over to this Mr.Christianson's address and see if we can find some clues." And so the Detectives all climbed onto their bicycles and pedalled off to where "Doc" lived.

When they arrived "Doc" showed them the garage next to his house that he had converted into an old workshop a long while ago. He was very upset and trembled as he pointed to the basket lying empty where Sprocket always used to sleep every night.
"I can't understand why anybody would take my poor Sprocket. If anything has happened to him I'll go insane." The Detectives could see where the lock had been carefully picked on the door. The perpetrator had done a good job of quietly breaking and entering and he didn't leave any obvious signs of his presence.
Kendra said "If only there were something that could tell us what exactly happened and if it really was the same person who stole the other dog."

Just then they heard a small voice "Excuse me. But I saw what happened."
They all looked down and saw a tiny creature with red skin standing in a hole in one wall of the shed. "Oh it's Gobo Fraggle." cried "Doc". The Detectives all squatted down in front of Gobo.
Snowthy said "Did you really see what happened to Sprocket?"
"Yes I did." Gobo explained that last night he had decided to spend a little bit of time standing at the hole leading away from the world of Fraggle Rock into outer space because he had his brave Uncle Travelling Matt on his mind. He hadn't seen him for ages since his last visit back home from exploring outer space and was wondering when he would ever see him again. The next thing he knew he noticed the door suddenly swing quietly open and a strange man come creeping in with a muzzle and bag. He had been momentarily frozen with fear but when the man crept over to the basket where Sprocket was sleeping and bent down slipping the muzzle on him he realized what was happening and called out. But his warning was too late of course, and poor Sprocket was helplessly thrown into the bag and slung over the man's shoulder. The man appeared perplexed not knowing where the voice had come from, but he very quickly ran away.
Gobo hung his head shamefully. "I am so sorry I did not cry out to alert Sprocket sooner "Doc".
"That's okay Gobo." replied "Doc" sympathetically. "I understand how scared you must have been. I only hope that what you've said now will help these three Detectives rescue him."
"Well we still don't know for sure if it was Baba. But our best assumption for now is that it was him indeed." said Marty. "I think we can safely assume that Super wants his henchman to steal a collection of dogs. If we can set a trap somehow for Baba, then we can find out from him what exactly his boss is up to."

Meanwhile at an old abandoned house twenty miles out of town, Baba was just driving his car into a secret passageway that opened up nearby and closed behind him leaving no trace of it among the ground.
He drove through the underground tunnel lit up by electric lights until he reached Super Muppet's secret laboratory hidden underneath the house.
Super was waiting for him. "Did you get the next dog, Baba?"
"Sure did boss. Here you are." Baba untied the sack and handed poor Sprocket over to Super. Sprocket struggled in vain as Super strapped him down to a table and placed a metal cap with electrode wires on his head.

He pulled a switch and a mysterious current surged through Sprocket, who yelped in pain for 10 seconds. Then it was over. Super took everything off him, including the muzzle, and Sprocket licked his hands. Super petted him and put him inside a cage where Foo-Foo was already stored.

"My special instant dog-brainwashing invention works like a charm," gloated Super. "When I have enough dogs under my control I'll put my plan into operation. Tomorrow you shall get me the next one."
"My pleasure to be of service boss," replied Baba. "Your plan is a masterplan. It'll make millionaires out of us."
"Yes. I can hardly wait. When enough dogs are collected together we shall get the rest of the gang and make our move. HAHAHAHA!"
Super and Baba both laughed wickedly together. What despicable caper could they be planning? Could the Three Detectives prevent it?

As the Three Detectives pondered how they could set a trap for Baba over the next two days they were alarmed to hear that apparently Super had decided to step up his plans. Dogs were suddenly being kidnapped at an unbelievable rate. It seemed like he must have had other henchmen kidnapping dogs at the same time as Baba.
"Rowlf, Muppy, Baskerville and even poor Barkley from Sesame Street have been taken." Marty read from a list he had made to Snowthy and Kendra.
"This is getting to be dreadfully serious. He's making progress completeing whatever his crimes are to be, while we are trying to plan our next move."
"We must think of something," cried Kendra worriedly.
"I have it!" Snowthy jumped up out of his chair. "We'll call the Electric Mayhem band and ask if they can help us out by disguising their drummer Animal as a dog. And if we put a phony ad in the newspaper for a man to take him walkies every Saturday and Sunday afternoons, I'm sure Super will send some of his men to steal Animal before the weekend."
It was only just Monday then, so Marty and Kendra agreed it seemed like a perfect plan.

So they made a quick phone call to Dr.Teeth. "Hello man." Dr.Teeth answered.
After Marty explained the situation and what their plan was Dr.Teeth went on to say, "Sure you guys. I know the band'll be delighted to co-operate with ya. We'll do Animal up to look doggy as best we can and you put your bogus ad in the paper."
"Thanks Dr.T. You're cool." Marty replied cheerily.
"Aw man. It's nothing really. We cool cats want to see justice done and those poor hot dogs liberated. Heh-heh. Naturally they'll be in for a nasty surprise if or when they try to steal our doggy Animal.
"Oh yes," Marty laughed. "I can easily imagine what will happen to them." As he said good-bye and hung up the phone, Kendra and Snowthy were having a rip-roaring laugh in addition to him.

Oh my gosh! Marty! I love this! I'm so sorry I haven't had the chance to read it until now! Nice use of MC people for the different characters. I don't think I ever could write a mystery. You're doing a wonderful job! I'd like to read some more!

So Marty made another call to the newspaper offices to speak to the editor Kathy. She was not the Kathy who was Snowthy's favourite comedianne, Kathy Greenwood of course. This Kathy was in charge of the regular newspaper printing and she liked to be called "Katzi" as an affectionate nickname. When she had the plan explained to her she promised to get the ad in the paper from tomorrow Tuesday onwards. And so she did.

The Three Detectives were delighted and they made arrangements with the Electric Mayhem for each of them to take turns secretly spending the night at their pad if Animal should capture any of Super's men. First Marty stayed Tuesday night, then Kendra on Wednesday night and finally when it was Snowthy's turn on Thursday night they struck the jackpot.

Animal made a very funny-looking dog but the drooping ears and false snout were effective.
That night Snowthy was roused from his sleep by the sounds of people screaming and Animal yelling. He raced into the main room followed by all the Mayhem members to see Animal in a fight with two men, who were obviously suffering the worst of the battle. Floyd and Janice ran over and calmed Animal down, while Dr.Teeth, Zoot and Lips tied up the two shaken men firmly with big ropes. Snowthy called his two partners at their office and they promised to get there as quickly as they could.

After hanging up Snowthy took a close look at the prisoners. He recognized them from their criminal files. They were club car man and leaper gnome.